Johannesburg – The two-day Agro-Processing Industry Summit has kicked off in Kliptown, Soweto.
Gauteng MEC for Economic Development, Environment, Agriculture and Rural Development, Lebogang Maile, said the summit shows that the province has placed agro-processing at the centre of its drive for increased localisation, reindustrialisation and job creation.
“In this summit, we will build from the premise that we are closer than we have ever been to crafting a common vision that will define and shape Gauteng’s agro-processing sector over the years to come,” he said.
The MEC described the summit as historic, as this is the first time that government, farmers, financial institutions and the research community are gathered under one roof to dissect, explore prospects for transformation and further development of the sector.
He said agro-processing, as one of the priority sectors identified by the provincial government, carries significant weight and has an important role to play in the realisation of the vision to build a transformed and modernised Gauteng that boasts industrial capability, social cohesion and equality.
“… There are many who wonder why a highly urbanised province such as Gauteng places such importance on agriculture. After all, Gauteng only occupies 1.4% of the country’s landmass, which is minuscule when compared to the 30.6% landmass occupied by Limpopo province,” he said.
MEC Maile said they believe that agro-processing, along with a clear strategy for economic diversification, can give the economies of the West Rand and Sedibeng a new lease on life.
He said these two economies, which are still reeling under the pressure imposed by the global economic crisis, are currently growing at 1% and 0.7% respectively, with worrying levels of unemployment.
“We are of the firm view that with the decline of mining activity and the attendant consequence of deindustrialisation, the agricultural industry presents real possibilities for a shift in the orientation of these regions.
“More importantly, as an industry that can propel growth in other sectors, agro-processing will place Gauteng’s economy on a different economic trajectory,” he said.
The MEC urged summit delegates to reflect on the concrete steps they can take to multiply the efforts born out of cooperation between the State and the private sector.
“As the leadership of the province, we are alive to the challenges that are facing the sector. We must emerge out of this summit with a strategy that merges our agenda to promote food security, integrate black farmers, lessen our dependence on food imports, and empower poor communities to take charge of their nutritional needs by supporting community and household food gardens on a massive scale,” he said.
MEC Maile said the agricultural sector is an integral part of radical transformation that they want to see in the province.
“We must emerge not only with a declaration and resolutions but a resounding commitment to use agriculture as a launching pad toward the realisation of the transformation, modernisation and reindustrialisation programme,” he said. - SAnews.gov.za
